Boasso
From an on site visit May 2017
2016 Boasso Grappoli Roero Arneis 13.5%
Smells very much like a piña colada with lots of cream of coconut and a hint of pineapple, that tends to blow off revealing a sweetly fruited slightly mineral driven nose that still retains a copper tone note Sweet pears with a hint of pineapple show up on the slightly too viscous plate which layers in some sandy minerality on the rather long if heavy finish. Too thick for its own good. 83pts
2016 Boasso Dolcetto d’Alba 13.5%
Only inox
Young, spicy, and hightoned in style with lots of underlying sweet fruit on the slightly astringent nose It's floral but more savory carnation and nettle than violet. Lighter and fresher in the mouth than the nose suggests, this has a bit of tannin on the palate, but a bright fresh linear style with very good energy. There’s some youthful fruit to lose perhaps but this is your classic wine for every plate Dolcetto with just the right rustic edge. 90pts
2014 Boasso Barbera d’Alba superiore 14%
Nose shows some wood accents, a bit spicy and cigar boxy, lending sweetness as well. In the mouth this is medium bodied with fresh, acidity that is in harmony in an elegant, steely style with sliced red plum fruit. A gentle sweetness from wood emerges on the backend and through the long, cutting, finish. The flavors here are jammy, though the texture is much more energetic with a hint of tannin lending this firmness. Pretty lovely and transparent Barbera with strong flavors. 88pts
2015 Boasso Grappoli Rosso 14%
One year in wood
50% Nebbiolo /40% Barbera /10% Dolcetto
Complex fruit nose, still quite good Nebbiolo character with astringent red fruit, menthol, and rosehips, though it's more perfumy and violet than rose petal but quite nebbiolo toned. A bit easy going in the mouth in a fruity, bright style that offers ample cut in the mouth, a nice mineral tone, and soft tannins driving a long, if dusty and simple finish. A touch lean perhaps but as an everyday wine is very pleasant. 85pts
2012 Boasso Barolo Serralunga 14%
10-15 days skin contact
Sweet strawberry fruit greets the nose with good dirt underpinning and a bit of a mentholated top note with fruit that gains more cherry and forest floor character with air. A touch loose in the mouth with fine tannins and decent acidity supporting well defined red berry fruit flavors with cactus petal and green floral accents lending this an earthy, forest floor tone. Not quite ready but on its way, a good 2012, cut from classic cloth though through the finish the tannins do get a little dry and the acid a touch accentuated. Just not enough covering fruit. 87pts
2012 Boasso Barolo Margheria 14%
More burnished fruit quality on the nose with a little middle Eastern spice, and aromas of stone, tobacco, and cherry pit. Elegant and fine with ripe tannins, dark fruit, a good core of earthy, dark clay flavors with a burnished, slightly spicy edge, Really well put together, with fine fruit on the finish covering a well judged structure, super persistence to the astringent red fruit, as complete as they get in 2012 with a lovely red cherry finale. Juicy but not acidic. 91pts
2013 Boasso Barolo Gabutti 14%
More floral and geranium accented with some spicy, sandalwood notes and a hint of candied watermelon lending freshness on the nose. More fruit with tannins that are more assertive, offering good midpalate cut and limestone length. Dusty and fine, and open knit. Texture, it's got firm tannins but drifts gently to fill the mouth with fruit that is is minty fresh, precise, and bright, the impression of terror here is assertive. 91pts
2011 Boasso Barolo Margheria 14%
Tea and dried flowers greet the nose followed by grassy toned cherry fruit, at first this is opulent in the mouth before the acids wash in bringing with them some freshness to the very ripe, slightly date inflected dark fruit. Less precise and fresh than the 2012 this does share with it the dusty fine grained tannins, with good length but on the finish this does revert to a more savory tea and dried herb toned character, long though this lacks freshness of fruit. 88pts
2013 Boasso Barolo Serralunga 14%
Perfumed on the nose with an early a hint of herb at first then decidedly more floral and slightly medicinal. There's a hint of pruniness here as well, moderately rich fruit up front with a nice delicate fell, easy going if traditional barolo with classic cherry fruit and herb framing notes palate. A bit simple and just a little chewy. 86pts
2013 Boasso Barolo Margheria 14%
Green streaks and roasted chestnut greet the nose with sweet dark cherry fruit aromas laid over a base of gentle licorice and some vaguely tarry caroby base notes. This has a fine core of fruit to it, bright, clear and tense with fine grained tannins, the best tannins of this lineup. Delicate with good drive on the palate supported by those really fine grained tannins It's smaller scaled than the previous wines but has everything in balance, good herb medicinal tinged accents to the cherry fruit on the moderately long finish. Not terribly complex but a solid example of Serralunga Barolo in a slightly easier drinking, earlier maturing style. 90pts
2016 Boasso Grappoli Roero Arneis 13.5%
Smells very much like a piña colada with lots of cream of coconut and a hint of pineapple, that tends to blow off revealing a sweetly fruited slightly mineral driven nose that still retains a copper tone note Sweet pears with a hint of pineapple show up on the slightly too viscous plate which layers in some sandy minerality on the rather long if heavy finish. Too thick for its own good. 83pts
2016 Boasso Dolcetto d’Alba 13.5%
Only inox
Young, spicy, and hightoned in style with lots of underlying sweet fruit on the slightly astringent nose It's floral but more savory carnation and nettle than violet. Lighter and fresher in the mouth than the nose suggests, this has a bit of tannin on the palate, but a bright fresh linear style with very good energy. There’s some youthful fruit to lose perhaps but this is your classic wine for every plate Dolcetto with just the right rustic edge. 90pts
2014 Boasso Barbera d’Alba superiore 14%
Nose shows some wood accents, a bit spicy and cigar boxy, lending sweetness as well. In the mouth this is medium bodied with fresh, acidity that is in harmony in an elegant, steely style with sliced red plum fruit. A gentle sweetness from wood emerges on the backend and through the long, cutting, finish. The flavors here are jammy, though the texture is much more energetic with a hint of tannin lending this firmness. Pretty lovely and transparent Barbera with strong flavors. 88pts
2015 Boasso Grappoli Rosso 14%
One year in wood
50% Nebbiolo /40% Barbera /10% Dolcetto
Complex fruit nose, still quite good Nebbiolo character with astringent red fruit, menthol, and rosehips, though it's more perfumy and violet than rose petal but quite nebbiolo toned. A bit easy going in the mouth in a fruity, bright style that offers ample cut in the mouth, a nice mineral tone, and soft tannins driving a long, if dusty and simple finish. A touch lean perhaps but as an everyday wine is very pleasant. 85pts
2012 Boasso Barolo Serralunga 14%
10-15 days skin contact
Sweet strawberry fruit greets the nose with good dirt underpinning and a bit of a mentholated top note with fruit that gains more cherry and forest floor character with air. A touch loose in the mouth with fine tannins and decent acidity supporting well defined red berry fruit flavors with cactus petal and green floral accents lending this an earthy, forest floor tone. Not quite ready but on its way, a good 2012, cut from classic cloth though through the finish the tannins do get a little dry and the acid a touch accentuated. Just not enough covering fruit. 87pts
2012 Boasso Barolo Margheria 14%
More burnished fruit quality on the nose with a little middle Eastern spice, and aromas of stone, tobacco, and cherry pit. Elegant and fine with ripe tannins, dark fruit, a good core of earthy, dark clay flavors with a burnished, slightly spicy edge, Really well put together, with fine fruit on the finish covering a well judged structure, super persistence to the astringent red fruit, as complete as they get in 2012 with a lovely red cherry finale. Juicy but not acidic. 91pts
2013 Boasso Barolo Gabutti 14%
More floral and geranium accented with some spicy, sandalwood notes and a hint of candied watermelon lending freshness on the nose. More fruit with tannins that are more assertive, offering good midpalate cut and limestone length. Dusty and fine, and open knit. Texture, it's got firm tannins but drifts gently to fill the mouth with fruit that is is minty fresh, precise, and bright, the impression of terror here is assertive. 91pts
2011 Boasso Barolo Margheria 14%
Tea and dried flowers greet the nose followed by grassy toned cherry fruit, at first this is opulent in the mouth before the acids wash in bringing with them some freshness to the very ripe, slightly date inflected dark fruit. Less precise and fresh than the 2012 this does share with it the dusty fine grained tannins, with good length but on the finish this does revert to a more savory tea and dried herb toned character, long though this lacks freshness of fruit. 88pts
2013 Boasso Barolo Serralunga 14%
Perfumed on the nose with an early a hint of herb at first then decidedly more floral and slightly medicinal. There's a hint of pruniness here as well, moderately rich fruit up front with a nice delicate fell, easy going if traditional barolo with classic cherry fruit and herb framing notes palate. A bit simple and just a little chewy. 86pts
2013 Boasso Barolo Margheria 14%
Green streaks and roasted chestnut greet the nose with sweet dark cherry fruit aromas laid over a base of gentle licorice and some vaguely tarry caroby base notes. This has a fine core of fruit to it, bright, clear and tense with fine grained tannins, the best tannins of this lineup. Delicate with good drive on the palate supported by those really fine grained tannins It's smaller scaled than the previous wines but has everything in balance, good herb medicinal tinged accents to the cherry fruit on the moderately long finish. Not terribly complex but a solid example of Serralunga Barolo in a slightly easier drinking, earlier maturing style. 90pts